The failing leaves drift by my window ....

...... the autumn leaves of infra red and gold.

High and Dry

"Little Charlie" is safely berthed well up the river Tamar at Cotehele Quay, as boat owners all along the south coast of Devon and Corrnwall brace themselves for the 80 mph winds that are forecast for tonight and into Monday.

Sketching at Cotehele

Sketching at Cotehele Quay on a fine autumn afternoon.

Winter Quarters

Built in 1899, in Plymouth, the SHAMROCK is a sailing ketch built for cargo work on the River Tamar and estuaries in the South West of England. 

From 1899 to 1962 she worked as a barge in Plymouth and several Cornish ports.

From 1962 till 1970 she was used as a diving support craft and salvage vessel after which she fell into disrepair.

The National Trust acquired her in 1974 and towed her up the River Tamar to Cotehele Quay for restoration.

When this major project was complete she became the centrepiece of the dsplay here at Cotehele Quay.

In summer she often sails on the river and is sometimes seen in Plymouth at rallies of traditional craft.

Click here to see her fully decked out at a rally in Plymouth

Cothele Quay (3)

I was delighted to see that the regular refit of the famous old Tamar Barge SHAMROCK is going along well and she looks as if she will be once again ready to sail on the river that she was built for.

Built in Plymouth in 1899, SHAMROCK is a sailing ketch built for cargo work on the River Tamar and estuary in South West England. Her construction was of pitch pine and oak.

From 1899 to 1962 she worked as a barge plying her trade though with several changes of ownership. In the late 1930s she moved from Plymouth to the Truro River where she operated in several Cornish ports. In 1962 she was sold as a diving support vessel and later became a salvage vessel between 1966 and 1970 when she fell into disrepair.

The National Trust acquired her in 1974 and she was towed up the River Tamar to Cotehele Quay for restoration. This was a major joint project between the National Trust and the National Maritime Museum. SHAMROCK is the centrepiece of a display at Cotehele from where she makes occasional voyages on the River Tamar.

Cothele Quay (2)

On Sunday the weather was quite cold but at least it was dry, 

so it was good day for a stroll by the Tamar at Cothele.

Sitting on the dock at Cothele (1)

Sittin' in the mornin' sun
I'll be sittin' when the evenin' come
Watching the canoes paddle in
Then I watch them paddled out again.
                                                              with apologies to Otis Redding and Steve Cropper

Cothele Quay, a fascinating National Trust property attached the beautiful Cothele House. It is very close to the riverside village of Calstock, which is about twelve miles up the River Tamar from Plymouth Sound.

It lies just about half a mile further up river (to the left) of this stretch of the Tamar.